Report reveals the most used words in 2022

By Danny Halpin via SWNS

Pandemic-related words continue to be the most commonly used in the English language almost three years after the emergence of COVID-19, reveals a new study.

Denier, followed by COVID, are the two most used words in 2022, according to Global Language Monitor (GLM), which tracks usage across the internet as well as print, online and social media.

The Texas-based analysts have pulled together a list of 37 of the most used words in the English-speaking world.

Vaccine, variant, pandemic, booster dose, lockdown and Omicron are also present despite many countries having now abandoned all restrictions.

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Paul Payack, President and Chief Word Analyst of GLM, said: "In the year 2022 we observed three major trends in the development of the English language.

“The persistence of pandemic-related words for the third year in a row."

"The acceleration of the spread of the language ever wider into all corners of the planet.

"And global English insinuating itself ever more deeply into the language of academia, science, technology, politics, commerce, transportation, and entertainment.”

Ukraine was the top non-pandemic word this year while climate change and global warming have been among the top phrases of the century.

Right to life is the third-most used phrase this year while abortion rights came in much lower at number 19.

Also to make the list were dozens of new pronouns, brought in collectively at 36, which the analysts say reflects the new discourse around gender fluidity.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden continue to sit neck and neck at 20 and 21 respectively, two years after their contested election.

GLM estimates that there are now 1,074,372 words in the English language with 5,366 being created each year, adding that many of these aren’t worthy enough to be added to the Oxford English Dictionary, which counts less than 200,000.

The analysts track words no matter how slangy, such as plutoed, which means being downgraded or unfriended on social media.

As of 2020, they said OK has become the most recognized word on the planet.

The GLM project was founded in Silicon Valley 20 years ago and has been tracking the use of English words since 2000 as a way to document the history of the 21st century through language.